1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information storage and display systems utilizing rotating storage drives, and more particularly, to video recording systems that record video data streams.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital video recorders provide the capability of concurrently recording incoming streaming video data using hard disk drive technology and playing back previously recorded video data. As currently available, a digital video recorder receives incoming streaming video data from the output interface of a standard set-top box configured to receive the broadcast signals from a multiple-service operator (MSO), such as a cable provider, and the output of the digital video recorder is transmitted directly to a display device, such as a television. Such standard set-top boxes typically have only one input interface and one output interface. In response to commands from the user, the digital video recorder transmits to the display device either the incoming streaming video data from the output of the set-top box or the previously recorded video data.
Because currently available digital video recorders receive their input from the standard output interfaces of currently available set-top boxes, such digital video recorders require numerous components which are duplicates of components already utilized by the set-top boxes. For example, in order to view digital broadcast channels using a standard television, a set-top box must convert the input digital broadcast channels into output video signals which conform to a standard format for composite video, such as the National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) standard. This standard output format is generated by various components in the set-top box, such as a transport demultiplexer (xe2x80x9cDEMUXxe2x80x9d), an MPEG decoder, and an NTSC encoder. Additionally, the output from the set-top box may contain information from an on-screen display module. This information may represent programming information. The information may also list specialty capabilities such as picture-in-picture, which the user can enable. A digital video recorder compatible with such a configuration must convert the NTSC composite video received from the set-top box back into digital form for storage, and then reconvert again to NTSC composite video to play back the stored video signals. Therefore, just as the set-top box did, the digital video recorder requires a transport DEMUX, an MPEG decoder, and an NTSC encoder, which effectively duplicate components and functions of the set-top box.
Similarly, currently available digital video recorders also include a standard input interface that receives the output from the set-top box, and a modem that is configured to receive electronic program guide information from the MSO. Both the input interface and the modem of the digital video recorder duplicate components or functions found in currently available set-top boxes.
There is, therefore, a need to provide the capabilities of currently available digital video recorders and set-top boxes, while also enabling the reduction of the redundancy of functions and components among these digital video recorders and settop boxes.
The present invention may be regarded as a set-top box connectable to a digital video recorder that includes at least one recorder interface that supports connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box, and a disk that stores a selected video segment. The digital video recorder has a video data stream manager that, in response to a real-time video signal, provides a first video stream to store the selected video segment on the disk, and that, in response to a command from the set-top box that initiates a playback interval, receives a second video stream based on the selected video segment stored on the disk to generate a recorded video signal. The digital video recorder is configured to (a) continuously receive the real-time video signal from the set-top box, and (b) provide the recorded video signal to the set-top box during the playback interval. The set-top box comprises a video input interface that receives a broadcast signal to generate the real-time video signal, and a video output interface that provides an output video data stream to a display device. The set-top box further comprises a microprocessor that recognizes connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box, and that, in response to user input, generates the command that initiates the playback interval. The set-top box further comprises at least one auxiliary interface that supports connection of the set-top box to the at least one recorder interface of the digital video recorder, the at least one auxiliary interface continuously providing the real-time video signal to the digital video recorder subsequent to the microprocessor recognizing connection of the digital video recorder to the set-top box. The set-top box further comprises a multiplexer, coupled to the video output interface and the microprocessor, which selects the real-time video signal during a real-time interval and selects the recorded video signal during the playback interval to generate the output video data stream that is provided to the display device.